Oct 30 (Reuters) - Americana Restaurants International

, which operates U.S. fast food brands in the Middle

East, said on Wednesday that third-quarter net profit fell 54.3%

from the year-ago period, amid a regional consumer boycott of

American brands to protest U.S. support for Israel.

Americana, which operates brands including KFC, Krispy Kreme

and Pizza Hut in the Middle East, North Africa and Kazakhstan,

recorded a net profit attributable to the shareholders of the

parent company of $37.4 million in the third quarter of 2024, it

said in a statement.

Americana's revenue for the first nine months of 2024 was

$1.61 billion, down 15.2% on the same period last year.

The company, which trades in the Middle East, North Africa

and Kazakhstan, said that "the evolving regional geopolitical

situation and slowness in consumer demand" had impacted its

top-line growth.

Americana is listed on stock exchanges in Saudi Arabia and

Abu Dhabi, where its shares have dropped by 24% this year.

Consumer boycotts in several Muslim-majority countries have,

in the last year, targeted American brands in protest of U.S.

support for Israel's military operations, especially its ongoing

assault on Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank.

The boycott has impacted Gulf retail giant AlShaya Group,

which operates Starbucks ( SBUX ) in the region, sources told Reuters in

March, when the company laid off more than 2,000 staff.

Starbucks ( SBUX ) said in January that the Israel-Hamas war

has hurt its business in the region as it missed market

expectations for first-quarter results.

U.S. soft drink brands - seen by some as symbols of the

United States - have also faced challenges in the last year with

sales of Coca-Cola plummeting in Egypt and rival Pepsi's rapid

regional growth grinding to a halt.